FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Deaths every year

Smokers nationwide

Treatment caused by smoking

Smoking attributable lost producivity

SAY NO TO TOBACCO

FRIENDS

ACD

ACD works in view of community development with a philosophy of mainstreaming gender equality, social justice, and good governance. It wants to achieve the rights of people, especially the disadvantaged and vulnerable women, adolescent and children at grassroots levels through improving their socioeconomic, political and cultural status, ensuring social justice and good governance.

DAM

Dhaka Ahsania Mission is a non-government development organization founded by Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah, an eminent educationist, reformer, and Sufi. The founding motto of DAM is ‘Divine and humanitarian service’. It functions since 1958 pursuing the aims of social and spiritual development of the entire human community.

NHFH & RI

To supplement the activities of the Government on cardiovascular diseases management and prevention, this foundation was formed at the initiative of National Professor Brig. (Rtd.) Abdul Malik with some dedicated medical and non-medical social workers on 12 October 1978.

PROGGA

PROGGA is a non-profit organization for research and advocacy in Bangladesh. PROGGA worships knowledge. Its mission is the creation of knowledge and applying the created knowledge for the progress of mankind.

UBINIG

UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternative) is a policy and action research organization in Bangladesh, formed in 1984 by a group of activists to support peoples' movement for social, economic, political and cultural transformation.

YPSA

YPSA is a registered voluntary nonprofit social development organization (www.ypsa.org) directed towards assisting the development initiatives for bringing the socio-economic changes of its target population since 1985 (UN International Youth Year).

TRUTH UNTOLD

Battle of Minds

Remarkably, the BATB has been organizing this death-marketing event since 2004 to attract youths in smoking and influence the policymakers. RADE MORE...

Health Development Surcharge Policy

The cabinet approved the draft of “The Health Development Surcharge Management Policy-2017” with a view to control the use of tobacco products and to turn Bangladesh into a smoking free country by 2040. RADE MORE...

Graphic Health Warning

Though based on the High Court verdict, the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) issued a public notice to print Graphic Health Warning (GHW) covering 50 percent upper portion, the continuous interference from the tobacco companies the initiative is almost falling apart. RADE MORE...

Details...

Remarkably, the BATB has been organizing this death-marketing event since 2004 to attract youths in smoking and influence the policymakers. Following the Section 5 (C) of Smoking and Tobacco Products (Control) Act, 2005 (Amended 2013), application of tobacco company name, sign, logo, trademark for arranging such competitions, sponsoring or awarding is completely banned. Even if this section of the law is violated, a monetary fine not exceeding TK 100,000 or simple imprisonment not less than three month or the both is applicable. Therefore, Battle of Minds 2017 should be stopped to protect youths from the clutch of this multinational tobacco company, BATB, in Bangladesh.

Details...

The fund earned imposing one percent surcharge on tobacco products remains unused due to the absence of policy. The fund will be used in 14 sectors to control the use of tobacco and to create mass awareness about the adverse impacts of tobacco on human health, said Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam.
The cabinet secretary was briefing reporters at his Secretariat office in Dhaka after the weekly cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister Office with PM Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
According to the policy, some specific suggestions have been incorporated in the policy to control the tobacco products and its use to turn Bangladesh into a tobacco-free country by 2040, the cabinet secretary said.
Shafiul Alam said the surcharge has already been imposed and Tk 300 crore per year is being deposited into the health ministry.
But the fund is being used for various purposes including the health sector in preventing tobacco uses and non-communicable diseases, Alam said.
The surcharge will be used to create awareness among common people against tobacco use, prevent farmers from cultivating tobacco and create alternative employment opportunities for them, he added.

Details...

Though based on the High Court verdict, the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) issued a public notice to print Graphic Health Warning (GHW) covering 50 percent upper portion, the continuous interference from the tobacco companies the initiative is almost falling apart. Recently, several sources have confirmed that the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is supposed to issue a letter to the Health Ministry to postpone the lawful implementation of GHW for around a year which is really frustrating for the anti-tobacco activists. In last year the tobacco companies induced NBR to work for its favor with an excuse of revenue loss and the similar possibilities are arising now too. Protesting the public notice, Bangladesh Cigarette Manufacturers’ Association (BCMA) has issued a letter to the NBR. The BCMA has demanded to continue printing the GHW on the lower parts of the tobacco packets with the excuse of band roll or revenue stamp. A closed-door meeting, with the participations of cigarette company owner and Managing Directors, has already been held at the Finance Ministry while the Minister was in the chair. The meeting was participated by Minister for Commerce, NBR Chairman and other high government officials. Besides, another meeting was arranged on August 10, 2017 with the participation of cigarette companies, Law Ministry, Health Ministry, and NTCC representative. The Health Ministry and NTCC pointed out the legal bindings of lawful GHW implementation and also told that there were no chances to annul the public notice or review the GHW issue following the HC verdict. Remarkably, considering the detrimental impacts of tobacco use, Honorable Prime Minister has pledged to make Bangladesh smoke-free before 2040. Tobacco will grab the young generation unless the GHW is implemented after the law directives on the tobacco packets.